Within
this site there are several websites that I hope you will find
interesting. Please drop me a line by e-mail to let me know you have
been here. Comments, suggestions, and material to add to the these
websites are very much appreciated, which is to say, I've started this,
but YOU are more than welcome to be a part of it. Check out the
history, talk to me about funky music, and most importantly, Enjoy
Yourself!

There is A
LOT of content here... so here are a couple of tips to make it easier
for you to find specific things on the site. If the navigation bar at
the left doesn't help you, you can
FIND any word on this page by typing Control-F and then enter the word you are looking for.
You can also SEARCH
the website by using the Google
Search box below.Have
Fun!

In
April of 2016 I experienced a personal crisis which more or less forced a number
of unexpected changes upon me, some for the worse, some hopefully for the
better. Between family issues and health issues, for the better part of six
months I was unable to spend any time in adding content to the website. While
one could say my storm has passed, a reality that I had not been willing to
accept has arrived... that I there is only so much I can do, and that there is
only so much time to do it in. I still have that huge backlog of material
waiting to be added to the site, and I will be doing that to the best possible
extent, while maintaining a balance with health, family, and personal affairs that
had gotten, I am sad to say, greatly out of balance. Thank You for your support and patience.

"LIFE IS NOT A JOURNEY TO THE GRAVE
WITH THE INTENTION OF
ARRIVING SAFELY IN A PRETTY AND WELL PRESERVED BODY,
BUT RATHER TO SKID IN BROADSIDE,
THOROUGHLY USED UP, TOTALLY WORN OUT,
AND LOUDLY PROCLAIMING WOW.... WHAT A RIDE !!!"

SUPPORT
THIS WEBSITE

WWW.DVRBS.COM
has been up and running since the fall of 2002, and will continue to remain
"live" on the Internet. This site
has ALWAYS been non-commercial and always will be. This is not and
never will be a business. This is a "someone had to do it", and sort of
became a calling.

This
website was founded in the fall
of 2002. DVRBS, Inc. operated as a registered 501(c)3 non-profit
corporation through the end of 2012. As the time and money involved in
administrating the corporation became problematic, it was decided to
dissolve DVRBS, Inc. in December of 2012. After 2012 donations were no longer tax
deductible.

The
site
was originally based on a home-made server with a dedicated cable
internet business connection. This greatly increased the monthly cost
of operations, which also include subscriptions to historical and
genealogical database websites, equipment, software, research-related
expenses, postage, and the like. The original server crashed
during the summer of 2013 while I was out of state, and finally had to
be retired in October of 2014 when, after being hacked, I found that no
one was furnishing anti-virus software for Windows 2000 Server anymore.
That meant buying a new server, and taking on a $3000 debt that I was
not at all comfortable with taking on. At that point a couple of
friends... more than that, brothers, from the Camden Fire Department
stepped up and started raising funds for the website. Other friends of
the website contacted me, and I took the leap of faith and ordered a
new server.

On October
27, 2014 the new server was delivered and the site went back on-line.
Fundraising went well, the server was paid for, and I cannot
thank enough the friends and family who have come up so big to help
with this.

While monetary donations have always been accepted,
I rarely have solicited them. I've
run a few ads through Google and a few in-line text ads, but not seen
much money. Beginning in January, 2013
the expense of operating the www.dvrbs.com
came exclusively out of my own pocket. For that reason, I am asking
that if you can, please make a donation in any
amount to the site. Please mail all donations to PO Box 2792, Bismarck
ND 58502-2792.

"Knowing is not
enough; we must apply. Understanding is not enough;
we must do. Knowing and understanding in action make for honor.
And honor is the heart of wisdom."
Johann von Goethe

No
man owns history, therefore you should feel free to use anything in
this web site for any purpose you see fit. The only important thing is
that knowledge be preserved, made accessible, and passed down
to future generations. This site is not for profit and proud of it, for
to claim title to and profit from the actions of those long gone seems
to, at best, bogus, and at worst, immoral. If left to the greedy, there
would be no public domain- Constitution and the Bible would be the
property of an individual, institution, or corporation. -- Phil Cohen.

"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest
of things; the decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic
feeling which thinks nothing worth a war, is worse. A man who has
nothing which he cares more about than he does about his personal
safety is a miserable creature who has no chance at being free, unless
made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself." - John
Stuart Mill

Martin W. Baskow owned and operated the Nine-Thirty-Nine Bar at 939 Market Street in
Camden NJ in the 1960s. He was brutally murdered in his bar on the
morning of July 14, 1967. This case remains unsolved, 41 years
later. If you have any information concerning this crime, pleasee-mail me. Your identity will be kept
confidential and there is a reward for information leading to an arrest.

This section had
grown so large that I decided to dedicate a separate page of links to
all the pages about interesting people who have lived in our city... a
biographical section, as it were. The "People of Note" section has been
moved here, as well as the "Camden Sports Hall of Fame", "Camden
Entertainment Hall of Fame", "Camden Families" and
the "Mayors of Camden" sections. I have also moved the links and set up
a new section of links to Camden family web-pages both on this website
and elsewhere.

As always,
suggestions, questions and comments are quite welcome. Thanks to Jim
Bessing and Mike Scheele for twisting my arm (figuratively of course!)
so I would get off my rump and get this done!

I
don't try and never will try to hide who I am and what I believe. This
will sooner or later get me physically assaulted, cost me my job, get
this web site hacked, or some such nonsense.

Don't
be surprised.... everything that is a hairless biped is not necessarily
human. What happened to filmmaker Theo van Gogh in the Netherlands, who
was murdered for exposing the physical abuse of women in the Islamic
community, can happen in America... WILL happen in America, and is
being ENCOURAGED to happen in America by CAIR, moveon, and like minded
parties. If the same happens to me, don't be surprised, do not mourn.
DO BE ANGRY and DO TAKE UP ARMS.

Phil
Cohen, August 25, 2006

It
is March 20, 2016... and everything I wrote above regarding what was going to
take place in America has come to pass. What I said above still goes...

For
the most part, www.dvrbs.com is a local
history website, which is to say, the emphasis is on the past. If you are
interested in the present and what might even be the future, check out veteran
newspaper publisher H. John Henry's latest venture, the New
Camden Times.

An Index to
Biographical Web Pages on this Web Site
Includes
Camden Sports Hall of Fame
Camden Entertainment Hall of Fame
Camden Mayors
Camden Families
and many other interesting people who have lived in Camden!

A slide
presentation of photos of men and women who were serving with the
United States armed forces during World War II. This presentation was
compiled and first shown at St. Joseph's Church in June of 2009 in
commemoration of Armed Forces Day.

In
great part due to the efforts of the website, Chief Scott Thompson of
the Camden Police Department, and other members of Camden's Finest, the
name of Detective William T. Feitz,
the first Camden police officer to lose his life during the performance
of his duties, was inscribed along with 414 other law enforcement
officers on the National Law Enforcement Memorial
in Washington DC. These men were honored in a candlelight vigil on May
13, 2005.

Discussions
are also taking place to see that Detective Feitz's name be added to
the Camden NJ Police Memorial at Federal Street and Haddon Avenue.

Part
2 455 photos and video clips for a length of 1 hour 23 minuteshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHfkmCU9y2Y

The new video has narrated letters to home from
sailors; 350 new photos from the national archives; photos from the
Navy Memorial and photos from more sailors and or their families. There
are 2 interviews included as well, one from John Bloomer and one from a
brother of a sailor who spent 3 days on the Denver visiting her while
she was anchored in Manila Harbor. I have also added a personal tribute
to the men killed on the Denver which is at the end of part 2. I was
also able to find a song book called "Songs For Salty Bards" containing
songs sung by the Denver men. I worked with the Rowan University men's
chorus to perform 4 songs live and have them recorded to be used in
this video, this would be the first time that these songs were played
and heard in over 65 years. It took one year and three months to
complete but it was worth every minute, at least for me who has such an
interest in US history. I have connected with so many Denver sailors or
their families from all parts of the United States. As you can see
these videos are lengthy so schedule your viewing accordingly; make
sure you have enough snacks and enjoy the videos. Thanks to everyone
who assisted with compiling the photos and stories your efforts are
greatly appreciated.

JON
VAN TIL’S HOME PAGEJon Van Til is Professor of Urban
Studies and Community Planning at Rutgers University’s Camden Campus.
This website provides material for his students in several courses, and
for colleagues in the field of urban policy, voluntary and nonprofit
organization, and citizen participation.

Note From Phil: There
is a lot here that I strongly disagree with. LIVING here for 25 plus
years carries a lot more weight than commuting in from the suburbs and
taking a class... I'm not all that impressed with late 20th century
academia, but that's MY value judgment. Still, there is much at this
website that is of interest to those interested in Camden.

The Sinking of HMT
ROHNA Twelve soldiers from Camden
County- six men from South Camden, one from Haddonfield, one from
Blackwood, two from Pennsauken, one from Merchantville, and one from
Lindenwold- died together when the troop transport HMT Rohna was struck
by a German guided glider bomb and sank of the coast of North Africa.
Eight men from other South Jersey communities were also lost. A total
of 1,015 men were lost that day, many of them from South Jersey, but
the story was never told to the families or the general public for over
57 years due to wartime censorship. At the time, conflicting stories
were issued about the fates of these men. Some families were told that
their sons were killed, others were told that their family members were
missing in action. This page is dedicated to these men and their
families.

On January 26, 1944 the LST-422
struck a mine of Anzio, Italy. 419 American soldiers and 29 British
sailors were lost. Seven of those victims were from Camden
County, New Jersey. This is their story.

THE SS LEOPOLDVILLE DISASTER

On December 24, 1944 the SS Leopoldville,
carrying over 2000 American soldiers, was torpedoed off the coast of
Normandy. 764 Americans lost their lives that night, including two from
Camden NJ, PFC Edward E. Benson, and Staff Sergeant Robert F. Miles..
To learn more about the Leopoldville disaster, and what happened to
Robert Miles and Edward Benson, click on the links below.

As
many were fond of saying, the world changed on September 11, 2001.
Well, it did not really change, but the United States DID get a wake up
call. America is at war, which is a sad thing.... people get hurt and
killed, lives are ruined. On the other hand, a look at the world over
the past few years... and over the past 1000 or so years... truly gives
evidence to what America and those who share our values and culture are
up against.

Make
no mistake about this.... the world is at war, and it IS a religious
war. I will be charitable and say a branch of Islam is bent on world
conquest and the establishment of world rule under Islamic religious
war. I will also be very truthful and state that is is a VERY large and
very well-funded branch.

As
this website is very much a teaching tool, I thought it appropriate to
present some articles I have found helpful- some that I have found,
others submitted by visitors to this website.

I have nothing to offer but
blood, toil, tears, and sweat. We have before us an ordeal of the most
grievous kind. We have before us many, many months of struggle and
suffering.

You ask, what is our policy?
I say it is to wage war by land, sea, and air. War with all our might
and with all the strength God has given us, and to wage war against a
monstrous tyranny never surpassed in the dark and lamentable catalogue
of human crime. That is our policy.

You ask, what is our aim? I
can answer in one word. It is victory.

Victory at all costs -
Victory in spite of all terrors - Victory, however long and hard the
road may be, for without victory there is no survival.

"Before
You Go" is
offered as an expression of heartfelt gratitude to those who fought and
won the Second World War - for their bravery, gallantry and sacrifices
that assure the continued enjoyment of freedoms unprecedented in the
history of mankind.

As we lose those who gave us so much to age and
time, it is our hope that the wondrous technology of the age of
Internet will help us to deliver this tribute and message of thanks to
every surviving veteran of the Second World War, their families and
descendants.

With our profound thanks to those who we can never
adequately thank, and in the hope that you will help us spread our
message, we offer

If any of
the links on this or the following pages fail to work, hold down the
<ctrl> key while clicking on the link

Though dedicated to the veterans of the Second
World War, we view "Before You Go" to be equally applicable to all of
the veterans of subsequent wars and current conflicts who have
responded to the call of their country and placed their lives on the
line on our behalf when asked to do so

VETERAN’S
DAY – 2006

The
local paper advertised a parade on the extensive grounds of our Bay
Pines VA Hospital, but its route wasn’t described. I wondered if my
wheelchair buddies in the nursing home might be able to watch it from a
nearby road, so I went there a bit earlier to see if I could help. As
it turned out, the activities leader was getting a bunch of men ready
to go to a shaded spot behind the building for the ceremonies, where
they might miss the parade.

As
it turned out, the parade came to them. We wheeled over 30 guys to a
spot beside hundreds of empty chairs. Shortly, we heard drums and music
as three bands and several groups marched in and filled the seats.
After Presentation of the Colors, Pledge of Allegiance, and the
National Anthem, we heard short speeches by the Secretary of the Navy,
the local Congressman, the Director of the Hospital, and best of all,
the main address by a very articulate Medal of Honor soldier.

The
man sitting next to me was a wounded Marine just back from Iraq. We
bonded instantly, and he even worked beside me pushing the wheelchairs
back to the nursing home. Later I drove him to his next stop and he
wants get involved in volunteer work. With 61 years between our wars,
he now knows that every older veteran is his buddy too, because we
shared a common experience.

In
other news, we read of a 111 year-old Florida man who is one of 15
World War I veterans still alive!

If you didn't miss
Camden, you probably wouldn't be visiting this website. Why not COME
BACK? I've been here 31 years, and couldn't imagine living anywhere
else. There simply are so many advantages that far outweigh
the over-emphasized-in-the-media disadvantages. If you have
never lived in Camden, you don't know what you are missing.

I
met Craig Campbell back in 1977 when I was living on Penn Street. Craig
is THE man to see if you are looking to come to what is arguably the
most eclectic neighborhood in South Jersey.

Bob
Stanton has written several books devoted to the history of railroads
and trolleys in Camden and South Jersey. His "Trolley Days in Camden"
is a real gem, with lots of pictures from days
gone by that I haven't seen elsewhere.

We are the Wireless solution
you'll need!

Looking for Wireless Internet
Access? You found it! Looking to setup Wireless WAN's / LAN's? Just Ask!Looking
for a dependable company? Here we are!

A
restoration plan is being developed for this historic church that will
guide its transformation into the new home for the Camden Shipyard and
Maritime Museum. We are looking for any photographs of the interior or
exterior of this church including family events such as weddings and
baptisms, etc. We would like to make copies of these for use in the
historic restoration process. If you can assist in any way or know of
someone who can, please contact. Mary Ann Eves, Project Historian, at
(215) 545-1076orProfessor Michael Lang,
Project Director, at (609) 280-7659.

Tom Gralish has worked at the Philadelphia
Inquirer since 1983, working as both an editor and photographer. During
the Gulf War in 1991, he was the Department of Defense Pool newspaper
photo editor in Saudi Arabia. He has covered stories from the
revolution in the Philippines to George W. Bush's campaign for the
presidency to street people living on the sidewalks of Center City
Philadelphia.

Tom Gralish was awarded the
Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography and the Robert F. Kennedy
Journalism Award for his photo essay on the homeless in 1986.

In 1998 he began a weekly photo column
titled "City Life" in the Philadelphia Inquirer, documenting everyday
life in about 150 Philadelphia neighborhoods. Since 2001, the column -
with a new title, "Scene on the Street" - began taking a weekly look at
our urban landscape.

Before coning to Philadelphia Tom Gralish
spent seven years working for United Press International as a
photographer in Minneapolis, Dallas, Detroit and Kansas City.

Visit The Breast
Cancer Site at http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/home
every day and click on the pink "Fund Free Mammograms" button to help
fund free mammograms for homeless, low-income women. It costs you
nothing to help make early detection and survival possible. Funding is
paid by site sponsors and goes to the nonprofit National Breast Cancer
Foundation, who uses it to grant access to mammography to women in
need. You can click once per day. Pass it along as a way to fight
breast cancer all year long! http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/home